Time Circle - New Version: rewritten
by shadowwriter01
Summary: G1 It is 7 years after the war of the Autobots and the Decepticons had ended. At the day of the peace anniversary, a mysterious object appears in space and several Tranformers are scattered across time and space... from the beginnings of the Great War to the future. Main characters: Hotrod, Optimus Prime, Galvatron, Cyclonus, Ultra Magnus, Starscream and others. Sequel to Transwarp
1. Chapter 1: The Pyramid in the sky

The Transformers are property of hasbro.

I have decided to make a complete rewrite of my older story Time Circle. Looking back, I am not longer quite satisfied with some of my choices regarding the writing and the events.

Like before, the story is based on the seasons 1-3 of the original G1 series with some ideas of the Marvel comics. It still ignores the Rebirth three-partner, which was quite badly written in my opinion (The Decepticons first conquer Cybertron in a hard battle and then try to blow it up anyway?)

Aside from that, I have already written my own version of the post season 3 events in my story "Transformers: Transwarp" (no relation to the Animated five parter "Transwarped"), that featured beside others an introduction of the Head- and Targetmasters.

For the setting: Instead of playing before the events of Transwarp, it is now a continuation of it.

The `present´ period is now the year 2019 instead of 2011.

That also means the story now not longer plays during the truce after Return of Optimus Prime, but instead in the period of actual peace between the G1 cartoon and Beast Wars. So I have also changed the position of it in my fanfic timeline and it is now placed between the stories Peace on Earth and Evolution.

One of my reason for the rewrite was to straighten the story out a bit and make it less convoluted and more fitting with my other stories.

* * *

**Transformers: Time Circle**

**Chapter 1  
**

_It is the year 2019. The long war between the Autobots and the Decepticons was finally over.  
_

_After the return and then the final defeat of Unicron, in the Earth year 2012, a peace agreement had been made between the Decepticon leader Galvatron and the leaders of the Autobots, Optimus and Rodimus Prime. _

_But the price for this peace had been high, for everyone. During the battle, an ancient device in the heart of Cybertron named the Plasma Energy Chamber had been opened - a device able to destroy stars. And absorb the resulting energy into the core of Cybertron itself._

_But the resulting global overload of energy made their home-planet non-habitable for both Autobots and Decepticons for many centuries to come._

_Scientists of both sides were already working on the creation of a new generation of Transformers, one that could adapt to the new circumstances on Cybertron better. But for the Autobots and Decepticons like they were, their home-world was lost._

_The race of the Quintessons had nearly been wiped out by Unicron during his last attack. The few surviving stragglers were no longer a serious threat to anyone. Their remaining robot slaves, now freed of the control by their masters, had now started to learn how to live for themselves._

_While the mainforce of the Decepticons, under the leadership of the now once again sane Galvatron and Cyclonus had left this part of the universe, a few groups of fanatical hardliners refused to accept the peace agreement.  
_

_After a few more months of fighting however, the Autobots managed to defeat the Renegade Decepticons and then officially declared an end of the Cybertronian Civil War._

**xxx**

_Autobot City Earth - the year 2019_

Optimus Prime was standing on a makeshift podium in the area right in front of the City´s entrance, under the sky of Earth.

Standing assembled before him were the Autobots who resided in this base and also several guests for the current celebration.

It was the seventh anniversary of the end of the Great War.

Present were beside others, his old friend Ultra Magnus and his young co. leader Rodimus, the old security officer Kup, the Headmaster Commander Fortress Maximus, Arcee, Springer, the remaining Autobot Head- and Targetmasters, the Powermaster Getaway, the Dinobots and whole teams of the Aerial-, Protecto- and Technobots.

And also present was the city Transformer Metroplex, who standing was standing close in his city-mode.

The crowd also included many surviving members of his old Arc crew, which included Bumblebee - now called Goldbug - Jazz, Hound, Mirage, Sideswipe, Perceptor, Blaster an many more.

There there even a few Transformers present that Optimus and the others did not even recognize. Members of the Autobot forces that had been stationed on outposts, former citizens of the now destroyed Autobot colony of Paradron like Sandstorm and others.

And also several representives and ambassadors of other races. Even a few of the first members of the newly created Cybertronian race called the Maximals.

But it were not only Cybertronians. Also present were some of their human allies, like Spike Witwicky - who was also permanet ambassador of Earth to the Autobots, his wife Carly and their now grown up son Daniel... and the Earth Defense officer Marissa Fairborn, now in the rank of general.

All these beings, some from worlds the Autobots had actually only loose contact with, were now here to hear Optimus words. They all looked up to the platform the Autobot Commander was standing on.

For over 9 million years, their race and their home-planet Cybertron had barely known anything than constant war. The only real interruptions had been the short periods after the first defeat of Unicron and after the truce of the Hate Plaque. But both had in the end only been interrupted by yet another major campaign of the Decepticons.

The only thing that ultimately slowed down the war in the end was the fact that it had slowly eaten up all the resources and energy. Cybertron became close to being a live less husk.

And ironically exactly this situation had it been what caused both sides to look for new energy resources between the stars.

It led to the war spreading to this other worlds and caused countless death and suffering. But it also led to the Autobots finding the friends and allies they possessed now.

"Autobots - and allies and friends," he began, "and our guests from other parts of the galaxy. We all are here for the same reason. Nine million years of war. A war that devastated and drained out our home planet, that spread from Cybertron to Earth and to many other planets, that killed countless millions of sentient beings, that threatened the freedom of the entire known universe itself.

A war that ended 7 years ago. And finally there was peace."

Optimus staid silent for a few moments, let the audiance taking in his words.

"But it was a peace that came at a high price. Not only had we lost the ability to live on our home-planet. Let us not forget the ones we had lost," he reminded the spectators.

"Ironhide, Prowl, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Brawn, Huffer, Windcharger, Firestar, Chromia, Red Alert... and Elita One," Optimus listed a few Autobots, only from the last years of the war... and only the ones he knew personally.

"This are only a few of the countless names... Autobots, humans, titanians and other, to numberless to even count. Let us remember them," Optimus said, followed by a few moments of silence.

"But in the end, things changed. We had to find out that the Decepticons were not our worst enemies. And together we defeated a foe more dangerous than we could have ever imagined - a enemy from the dawn of time itself, who threatened the existence of the entire cosmos. Unicron, the Chaos Bringer, the Devourer of Worlds. That were only a few of the many names he was known by.

Old enemies became new allies and together we have given this universe something it desperately needed in that hour... hope.

So let us all rejoice in this new peace we all have. But let us never forget the sacrifices that were made to achieve it... Or the fact that we need to stand up to defend it, if it threatened again some day."

Optimus speech had ended. And for the next moments the place was filled with halling applause from everyone.

Next to him, Rodimus, Ultra Magnus and Kup came unto the tribune.

Optimus made a gesture for his young fellow Prime to take his place in the center of the podium.

"Autobots," Rodimus begann, "for the last years plans were made to reinstall the High Council that ruled the Autobots before the war. With that we will have a democratic government again. One of the many things we lost in the long fighting.

This new government body will lead the Autobots along with the reigning Primes - that would be Optimus and me in this case - and our officers. Over time, so the idea, most of the authority given to the Prime alone during the war-time will be given back to the Council and divided equally under it´s members."

Rodimus announcement was met with similar applause as Optimus speech had been. Though a bit less enthusiastic maybe. Like in most societies, real life politics were simply less popular and moving than speeches of war, sacrifice, victory, hope and peace. But in the end not less important.

"Do you and Optimus are planning to actually join the Council?" Bumblebee asked them. "Or maybe you Ultra Magnus?"

"I guess never of you would have to worry about getting the votes for the position," Spike spoke up.

"I would vote for you right away. If I were an Autobot of course," Carly said smiling.

"We will see about that," Rodimus replied. "I admit I have not yet my mind up."

"Neither have I," Ultra Magnus said. "We have not even decided if it will even be possible to be a Prime and a member of the Council at the same time."

"I think nothing in Cybertron´s law speaks against it," Optimus mentioned. "In fact, the Prime had always been considered as part of the Council."

"True," Magnus said.

"Yeah - Primes for the Council!" Jazz suddenly called out.

"Yes," Someone else responded.

"Okay. Like I said, we have not decided yet. This is a matter for another time," Rodimus declared. "For now - we still have a festival here, right? We all have now a life in peace. So let us live," he raised his arm and shouted to them all.

And so they did.

After the declarations were over, the celebrities were going on and the Autobots, humans and aliens present were starting to spread to the city.

A few of the guests were using the Autobot crew as `guides´ through the base and Metroplex. Others were exploring it on their own.

A few of the other Autobots who were off duty were demonstrating their special abilities - like Hound his Holograms - or Sky Linx, who was offering free flights in his shuttle form - to some of the guests.

Some merchants, both human and alien, were using the event as a chance to present their wares, like they had done in the years before.

All in all, over the last seven years, the peace anniversary had become a large interstellar celebration.

Then suddenly the alarms were going off.

A few Autobots were transforming and driving to the closest computer console to check on what had caused the alarm.

Others were trying to calm down some of the visitors, who had been starting to get nervous.

**xxx**

Somewhat off-side, standing in the back of the crowd, was a single robot. He was tall, just as tall as Optimus Prime or Ultra Magnus. He looked cybertronian in design, but wasn´t wearing any insignia of the Autobots or the Decepticons.

But still, nobody paid much attention to this. Many Transformers had left Cybertron over the eons of the war.

His body was mostly black, with some parts in gold of deep purple. And he had red eyes like the most Decepticons. That too however unsettled nobody. The war was over after all and besides, red eyes alone were no proof of being a Con. Other mechanoids, like for example the Junkions were red eyed as well.

The stranger only quietly said a single line of words.

"It is beginning."

He waited a few seconds, until he was sure that nobody paid attention to him. Then he teleported away.

**xxxxxxx**

The Autobot Mirage was sitting on one of the terminals of Cybertron´s main computer teletraan 2. He was one of the Autobots who had volunteered to run the security of the planet during the festivities.

Behind him, Optimus, Rodimus and Ultra Magnus were just entering the room, closely followed by Jazz, Hound, Bumblebee and Perceptor.

"What has happened Mirage?" Optimus asked.

"It - it is…" the Autobot was perplexed. "Optimus. According to this data a very large object has just materialized right in orbit over Earth", Mirage explained.

"How big?" asked Kup.

"Over twenty kilometers in length and height. In it´s form... well, basically a giant pyramid. "

"And that has simply appeared out of nowhere?" Optimus asked.

"I can find no sign of regular hyperspace travel," Mirage answered. "Maybe it is a form of transwarp or a dimensional shift. But the computer does not detect such an anomaly anywhere up there."

"And our transwarp-technology is still in the development-stage," Ultra Magnus added.

"Beside that, I have hardly ever heard that a pyramid has a warp-drive," Rodimus commented. "Except maybe in human science fiction shows."

"I see, the peace has not hurt your sharky sense of humor Rodimus," the voice of Marissa Faireborn stated.

She and the Witwickys were just together entering the room.

"Nice to see you too Marissa," he replied.

"We have just contacted Earth Defense Command and told then about the incident," she informed them.

"That is good," Optimus said.

"Perceptor. Can you give me some information's about the object? Anything."

Perceptor - Cybertron´s best living scientist - sat down next to Mirage and started to analyze all the data the sensors could receive.

It took another minute before he turned around to answer.

"According to this Optimus, the object is showing traces of various form of energy radiation, energon, kinetic, Chrono..." he summarized. "... and also marks of laser fire. As if it had been close to a battle," he added.

"Interesting," Optimus stated.

"Chrono, like the time-window from the Quintessons back then? Does that mean it is possibly not from our time?" Hotrod asked. He had seen such effects before.

"There is not enough data to say that for sure, but it is possible possible," Perceptor answered.

"We should send a team to secure this object and check for danger," Ultra Magnus suggested.

"I agree with this," Spike said. "I am sure the Earth Defense will send a team as well very soon," he told them. "I guess as ambassador it is my job to check up with the UN council about this object. If you excuse me?"

"Of course Spike," Optimus said.

"Are you coming as well Carly?" he asked his wife.

Their son Daniel, who was now a soldier in the EDC (Earth Defense Command) was standing next to her.

"No Spike, I rather want to stay here and watch what is going on for a while. I admit I am curious about this," Carly said. "Beside that, talking with the government about things like this is your job, right husband?" she grinned.

"Okay," Spike answered.

A few meters from them, Bumblebee transformed into his VW Beattle mode.

"How about I give you a quick lift to the communication center?" he asked and opened his left door .

"Thanks Bumblebee," Spike replied.

He sat down on the beattles front seat, like he had done so many times before in his life and they drove off.

"Good," Rodimus turned to the others. "I am leading the exploration team."

"Rodimus," Optimus started to speak.

"What," the younger Prime countered, "this is at least something interesting for a change. Or would you rather send someone else, someone who is not part of the leadership? If I remember right you had never hesitated to take risks or do work by yourself. I will take Sky Linx."

Optimus nodded.

"Okay, you are right. Perceptor, Hound and Jazz, you go with him."

A few minutes later the Autobots were - inside the living shuttle Sky Linx - on their way up into the orbit and to the mysterious pyramid.

As they came closer, they saw that the entire construct was built from silvery looking metal.

"It looks impressive," Hound stated

"This could be a very important discovery," Perceptor pointed out.

"Then it is only fitting…" Sky Linx told everybody, "…that I carry the Autobots who will first set food on it."

The shuttle-form Autobot had sometimes more than a bit of an ego. And all too often it showed.

They found some sort of small docking plattform build right into the surface of the pyramid.

As they arrived there Sky Linx landed and the four bots left him. They departed to move inside of the construct.

As they had passed the entrance, they came into a long tunnel. The insides of the pyramid, they saw, seemed to be build from the same silvery metal like the outer layers

After walking for a few minutes, they arrived inside something that looked like a large hall.

This hall was nearly 2 kilometers long... and nearly completely empty.

On the other side of it however they saw something that looked like a large monitor and some mysterious looking instruments around it.

As they walked through the room they saw something else. A small device, looking very much like the big pyramid they were in, but small enough that a Autobot could hold it in one hand, was sinply floating in the air somewhere at the end of the hall.

Perceptor saw the small object and walked to it.

As they came closer the large screen before them came to live.

A picture appeared on it. The monitor showed the sky of the planet Earth, from what looked like a low orbit.

Then they saw a familiar silver and red F15 jet approaching the planet - Starscream.

Suddenly a strange projectile came, flying up from the planet and exploded in space. Because of the giant explosion Starscream was losing control and was spiraling down, crashing on the planet.

"Do one of you recognize this scene?" Rodimus asked.

"Yes I remember," Mirage answered, "that was 1984. Starscream used an experimental energy generator for an attempt to blow up earth and that while the other Decepticons were still on it."

"Yeah - Starscream could be a really nice guy," Hound commented. "That is now nearly 35 years ago."

"We should inform Optimus," Rodimus decided. "Perceptor - have you found anything that could be dangerous?"

"Here is nothing that confirms any sort of threat," the Autobot scientist answered. "In fact by all reading, the place seems not to be dangerous."

**xxxxxxx**

A half hour later Optimus, Ultra Magnus, Kup, Jazz, Perceptor, Hound and the two EDC soldiers Marissa Faireborn and Daniel Witwicky were standing before the monitor and watching another scene from the past.

_xxx_

_The December of the year 2006_

_Galvatron walked towards the three Autobots Optimus, Hotrod and Kup. It was true, he and them had teamed up earlier to stop the Hate Plaque. But they didn´t know how he would react now._

_They had been working together out of common interests, like their two sides did often before. This alliances however ended in principle very quickly when the problem was solved._

_In this case however the Decepticon leader was surprising them._

_"There will be no war today Optimus Prime, you have earned Galvatron´s respect," he declared._

_He offered his hand to the Autobot Prime and Optimus took it._

_Galvatron then flew off into the sky, followed by Cyclonus and the Sweeps who transformed into their jet modes and by the combiner team called the Predacons._

_After the Decepticons had left, Optimus gave the well known command:_

_"Transform and roll out."_

**xxxxxxx**

_At the same time outside_

The mysterious Cybertronian materialized himself in space close to the pyramid, now flanked by three other robots... and they landed on it´s surface.

He remembered how he had been brought back into this universe once again just a couple of years before... after the eons he had been trapped in the eternal void - between the dimensions. In a place without space and time.

He had not been sure if a moment or an eternity had passed since his imprisonment.

But in the end the last members of the brotherhood of Chaos had brought him back.

He had found out that over 12 million years had passed since the time of the Original Thirteen had ended. An end that he had greatly helped to achieve.

Since then the race known as the Quintessons had created a new breed of Cybertronians, one that was divided into two Factions. Civil war had raged for millions of years and finally ended.

It was a world where his master Unicron had been defeated. But by what he had heard, Primus was holding his essence imprisoned inside the Matrix... and by this had become unable to actively act as well.

For him, it only meat he was now able to follow his own designs. At least in this time and universe.

He and his followers had been preparing for this day for years and now it had finally come.


	2. Chapter 2: Disappearance

**Chapter 2**

_The end of 2006 - 12 years ago - flashback_

The group of Autobots led by Optimus Prime drove back to Autobot City.

As their convoy came closer, they were greeted with no one else than Ultra Magnus approaching them. Like the others, he had been cured from the Hate Plaque when Optimus had released the knowledge of the Matrix. Behind him were standing a few of the other Autobots stationed in the city. Like him they were now back to normal.

Everything was like it should be, except for the heavy damage that both Autobot and human had received.

Right now however, the Autobot Second in Command simply made a disbelieving face.

"Optimus?" he asked, "is that really you? I mean, are you really back?" Magnus looked in Hotrod´s and Kup´s direction.

"It´s him Magnus," Hotrod stated happily. "It is no trick this time."

They all remembered all too well how the Quintessons had reactivated Optimus, only to turn him into a mind-controlled zombie to lead the Autobots into a death-trap. So it was no wonder a few people, even Optimus himself sometimes, were a bit insecure.

Magnus looked now back at Optimus, who spoke to him in a somewhat held back tone.

"Yes - Yes I guess this time I am truly back for good. It is good to see you old friend."

Now Ultra Magnus pulled his friend and leader into an embrace. It was a really strange sight, the two giant fighting machines hugging each other in a friendly manner.

Optimus saw his old lieutenant Jazz, who welcomed him in nearly the same way as Magnus did and the human Spike, who had come as Jazz driver.

"Jazz, I am happy that you are here," the Autobot leader greeted him.

"Spike." He nodded to the human.

"Optimus I´m glad that you are back. I only wish it was under better circumstances."

Spike looked behind himself at the mostly destroyed Autobot city. Insane Transformers - ironically mostly Autobots - had been marauding there for days.

"It was our luck that you were able to short-circuit Metroplex before he began to ran amok too Rodimus. You did a good job," Ultra Magnus said, looking at Hotrod.

"Thank you. But I have really enough of being leader, at least Commander of all Autobots. We have the right bot here for this anyway," he said with a small gesture to Optimus.

This statement from the younger Prime was met with applause from everybody around.

"We will repair Autobot City. Just as we will rebuild everything that had been destroyed on Earth and Cybertron," Optimus announced." His words caused even more applause

xxxxxxxx

At the same time, the Decepticons had arrived back on Chaar.

Galvatron looked at his assembled troops. Many of them were in a damaged or at least strained state. Not to mention that some were out of energon.

But that was to be expected. They all had been driven insane and running amok for a few days after all.

He told the Constructicons to first look over the other Decepticons and then check the damage to their base itself.

It was a small luck to them that as it seemed someone had been able to short-circuit Trypticon, before he had been infected by the Hate Plaque as well. Similar like Rodimus had done it to Metroplex on Earth. Good, rampaging city-robots were the last they had needed in this situation.

Galvatron decided he would give a reward to the warrior responsible, when he found out who did it.

Then he addressed his Second in Command.

"Cyclonus, tell Soundwave to contact every Decepticon who is not on Chaar right now and give them order to return to base."

"Yes Galvatron," he replied. "Soundwave are you able to make contact with everybody who is not here right now?"

"Yes Cyclonus," the communication expert answered after less than two seconds. "All units are responding," he said after a few moments.

"Ask them if they are still operational."

"Causalities none; irreparable damage none," Soundwave reported in his usual monotonous way. "But multiple light, middle and two cases of heavy damage."

Cyclonus nodded.

"Good, take Astrotrain and all currently operational shuttles and go to retrieve them," he ordered.

xxxxxx

_A few minutes later_

Cyclonus was now entering the throne room along with Galvatron.

The nearly ever faithful Decepticon looked at his leader, the being he had been following loyally for now two lives... before and after their reformation by Unicron.

True, at the time when Galvatron had gone insane during the last year, Cyclonus had sometimes refused orders, disagreed with his leader in front of the troops, even tricked him into going to a planet that was actually a mental asylum to cure his madness. The last one later turned out to be a trap and probably his greatest mistake. But despite that he had always acted ultimately in Galvatron´s best interest or at least it had been his intention.

Except in these last days, as the plaque had infected him. He had attacked Galvatron together with a large group of Decepticons, hunted him down, tried to kill him. And then had intentionally infected him with the Hate Plaque.

Sure, you could say hee hadn´t been himself - not responsible for his actions.

Not been himself... Just like Galvatron had not been all this times in the past, he realized.

He didn´t know what to say.

"Mighty Galvatron, I…" he tried to say something.

"Cyclonus can you feel it?" his leader asked him. "Have you noticed? Maybe you should run a self-diagnosis."

This question surprised him. Then he started to check his systems. It was gone, he realized.

"Yes Galvatron, I do," he answered.

Finally, another curse that had plaqued them for the last years had been lifted, Cyclonus thought.

When they had been rebuilt by Unicron two years ago, he placed various predatory programs into their systems. Infiltration programs designed with the purpose to manipulate and rearrange their minds and personalities according to Unicron´s agenda.

A certain change of personality was normal for a Transformer with a new body, at least to some degree. New circuity, a new appearance and skills, all this is leading to different thinking and behavior.

This programs on the other hand had the sole purpose to bend their minds over time to his will, to make them his puppets.

It was however more than simply software. They were like an extension of Unicron himself, small microscopic pieces of his mind that were slowly trying to take them over, to change them into what he had truly wanted... creations of his design.

The corrupting programs were deactivated when the Planet Destroyer´s body had exploded. But they were still there, lying dormant in them... until now.

They were gone, erased.

"Unicron´s manipulations are removed from us now," Galvatron stated. "And not only that, the last bits of the madness that plagued me for so long are also gone."

Cyclonus looked surprised. Normally nobody even talked about the insanity in Galvatron´s presence out of fear of his reaction.

Now he brought it up himself.

"The Matrix has cured me, in more than one way," the Decepticon leader said. "I am - no **we** are - finally completely free of him."

He smiled. For the first time for long, Galvatron was truly something that one could call happy.

"Who had thought that the Matrix and the Autobots will be the cause of this?"

"In some sense they have saved us," Cyclonus agreed, "from Unicron and the Hate Plague. Even if they did it in first line to save everyone else."

"Yes, quite ironic," Galvatron admitted.

"What do you plan now my lord? Are you going to hold the ceasefire with the Autobots for a longer time, giving both us and them the chance to rebuild?"

That was in many senses a reasonable idea. Beside the fact that Cyclonus was someone who lived by his personal honor code, there was also a purely practical reason.

It would give the Autobots the chance to recover from the damage the plague had caused to them. A chance that they had earned in Cyclonus eyes. But it was also give the Decepticon the same opportunity. Both their sides had suffered equally under this epidemie after all.

His leader´s signs of insanity had already been decreased drastically in the last months. Ironically since their visit on the therapist planet called Torculon, that had turned out to be a death-trap, but ultimately also the turning-point from which on Galvatron started to fare better.

And now it seemed he was completely back to normal.

It felt good to have a reasonable Commander again, he admitted.

Galvatron´s true self, he knew, was very close to his own way of thinking. This was if he was honest one of the reasons for his loyalty.

The true Galvatron, he knew - the leader who had always existed beneath the layer of insanity, was someone with many traces that he admired, someone he respected and had tried to live up to in these last months.

But that was not everything. Megatron had once saved his own former self from a terrible and senseless existence and gave his life a meaning. Back then when he had been disregarded and thrown away for the first time. Eons before the same thing happened, quite literally, again inside Astrotrain.

"Yes Cyclonus, I will keep the truce with the Autobots, for some time at least. After all it will give us the chance to prepare and realize our plans as well," the Decepticon leader said.

"Let them have their time of peace," Galvatron stated. "Soon they will loose this war once and for all."

xxxxxxx

_Back in the present_

In the years that followed, Galvatron´s prediction had become true.

First came the creation of the Transwarp Technology, then the arrival of the Head- and Target- and a short time later the Powermasters.

In the following campaign the Decepticons had actually successfully reconquered Cybertron once again. Only for **both** sides to loose it forever a short time later.

... And then came Unicron´s return... and all what followed.

xxx

Right now the group of Autobots and humans were all still standing in front of the screen and watching other images from the past.

Optimus Powermaster partner - the nebulon scientist HiQ had separated from him and was taking a look at the strange devices of the pyramid. Marissa Faireborn and Daniel Witwicky standing close to him.

Daniel remembered how his father Spike had as well become temporally bonded to a Transformer as well several years ago, during the last battle against Unicron in fact. At that time it had been out of pure necessarity.

Just like HiQ, his father had barely actually aged since then. Just like all who had undergone the bonding process to a Transformer - not matter if Head-, Power- or Targetmaster.

Afterwards however, Spike had asked the Autobots for every possible way to negate the bond with Fortress Maximus and become a normal human once again.

Not everybody wanted to be immortal as it seemed. His father being one of them. At least, like Spike had explained, not without Carly and Daniel. He didn´t want to live this long if it meant seeing them die.

So far the Autobots however had not managed to completely reverse the effects of the bond.

As an alternative, his mother Carly had suggested to have the Autobots extend her own life.

Even a "normal" human at their age could life for over 150 years. Mostly being an effect of modern technology and medicine. The binary bounded humanoids however would, as it looked, be around for at least several centuries.

xxx

In this moment they were watching a scene that brought up particular painful memories for both Optimus and Rodimus.

Megatron was kneeling on the ground. Optimus Prime was standing before him with his gun in his hand.

"Optimus I..." Rodimus tried to say something.

"It wasn´t your fault," Optimus responded. "It was **mine**," he stated.

On the monitor they saw Megatron asking for mercy. Or at least it seemed so.

_xxx_

_"No more Optimus Prime. I beg of you."_

_xxx_

Back in the year 2005 when this fight happened, Optimus was taken back by this. He could just not believe that Megatron, his opponent and nemesis for millions of years - his equal and opposite - would act like this.

Now, rewatching this scene from another perspective, he saw what it had truly been... a blunt and obvious trick to distract him and stall time and reach the gun that was lying close to Megatron.

And he had given him all time in the world, the present Optimus remembered, while the one on the screen continued to talk.

They all watched Megatron reaching out to the gun.

xxx

_"You who are without mercy, now beg for it. I thought you were made of sterner stuff."_

_xxx_

As he was finished with that little speech, Megatron already had the gun in his hand.

By the Matrix, Optimus thought as he saw the scene: `I am an idiot´. Looking back, he admitted he felt more than a bit ashamed that he fell for an now so obvious looking trick.

Standing next to him, Rodimus was feeling pretty much the same way. They both

On the screen they saw Hotrod - Rodimus younger self - tackling Megatron to stop him. But the young Autobot was overpowered in no time and taken hostage instead.

"I shouldn´t have gotten have gotten involved," Rodimus said.

"I shouldn´t have fallen for the oldest trick in the world. And you wouldn´t have a reason to get involved in the first place," Optimus answered.

"But I..."

"Hotrod," Optimus said, addressing Rodimus by his old name, "I was the one who had failed to secure a seemingly surrendering enemy. Instead I let him move around and grab a weapon. Megatron should have never gotten his hands on this gun. If I had just told him to stand still and hold up his hands, nothing of this would have happened.

I admit that your actions were hardly ideal," Optimus stated.

No, tackling a Decepticon far stronger than him directly had not been. By far not.

"But it was my failure that this situation came up in the first place... Megatron and I had been enemies for millions of years. But there had always been a strange kind of respect between us. I would have never expected him to act like this... and this caught me completely off-guard. And Megatron had probably counted on that.

As the humans say, he had played me like a fiddle. We **both** made mistakes. The difference is yours were excusable, mine were not."

"Don´t be so hard on yourself Prime," Kup told him. "Like you said, we all make our mistakes. And this is the past anyway."

"A better question should be, how does this thing even got this scenes?" Ultra Magnus questioned. "I mean, had someone been monitoring these events back then?"

"I don´t know," Rodimus answered.

"Hmm, one possible theory is that this apparatur here may be somehow accessing our minds and reading our memories," Perceptor stated.

Now the others were looking more than a bit alarmed. The idea of some foreign force somehow entering their minds was nothing they felt well with.

"Are you sure Perceptor?" Optimus asked.

"No. Like I said, it is just a theory."

The scene before them changed once again.

This time they saw Galvatron, lying in a sea of molten plasma. Then Cyclonus and the Sweeps landed and one of them dragging him out.

Right afterwards they saw how the Decepticon leader started beating or shooting his subordinates.

"This has to be how Galvatron turned insane," Ultra Magnus stated. "Who would have thought we would see it first hand some day?"

"I guess that throws Perceptors theory out of the window," Rodimus commented. "**None** of us had been there when this had happened. So it can´t come from our minds."

"You are right," Perceptor replied. "Unless of course Galvatron, Cyclonus or the Sweeps had been inside this room at one point. But that is more than unlikely."

xxx

The scene switched again:

Galvatron, Cyclonus and the Sweeps were now attacking a space-station.

"The attack on the Space-Defense Platform in 2006. With that fight the war was restarted," Rodimus remarked.

The Autobots watched on the monitor how the Cons were shooting the station until it was completely destroyed and the humans on it were either blown up or floating helpless in space.

xxx

After a few moments yet another scene:

A group of Quintessons were working on something. They saw that it was the liveless body of a Transformer - Optimus body.

The Autobot leader turned ice-cold inside.

He didn´t want to see that. They watched now how the body was reactivated, coming back to false live.

"This was how they turned me into their puppet," Optimus whispered.

The scene switched to a space-battle. Autobot ships were being blown out of space by heavy artillery.

"I have let them into a trap. Over 50 Autobots dead because I couldn´t resist their programming."

"That wasn´t you," Kup told him.

"No it wasn´t," Optimus confirmed. "That was only my body. It was the Matrix that truly brought myself back. After you gave the Matrix to me, my mind was downloaded from it." He looked at Rodimus. "But even then I wasn´t able to resist them. Not until you stopped me."

xxxxxxx

What they didn´t realized, was that unknown to them, the mysterious robot - The Fallen - and his followers had entered another room inside the pyramid.

In his hand he was holding a small pyramid device, identical to the one in the hall with the Autobots.

With a move of his hand he activated the device. A large blue sphere of energy - a transwarp sphere - formed around the four robots... and they were gone.

xxxxxxx

Back in the hall the Autobots were in, the small pyramid on the side started to glow.

A similar sphere of energy was started to be built up around it.

Without any warning the energy-sphere suddenly expanded and started to pull in all objects around it.

... And so, Rodimus and Ultra Magnus, the two Autobots standing next to it, lost their hold and were pulled into the sphere.

Then, a moment later, it disappeared.

The sphere itself, Rodimus Prime, Magnus and the small pyramid device were gone.

"Rodimus, Magnus. Where are they?" Kup yelled.

"I - I don´t know," Perceptor replied.

xxxxxxx

_Somewhere else_

Rodimus looked at his sourroundings after he suddenly found himself somewhere else.

Grass, trees, birds were singing, a yellow sun, this was definitely Earth. He was lying on a large field, surround by lines of trees. There was a road not far away from him.

He was not longer in orbit.

But where exactly he didn´t know.

How did he get here?

He tried to call Autobot City and Metroplex. But no answer. Even if he were on the other side of the planet they should be able to receive his call.

Wait. That had been some kind of transwarp-sphere. He was sure of it.

Was that some kind of transport-device? Possible.

The Autobot´s transwarp technology was still in development - sadly. And if it were some kind of alien technology that used transwarp, it mae sense that Perceptor were not able to identify it instantly.

But that meant...

If it was truly transwarp tech, then it meant he could have been send anywhere... in any time... or even another universe.

He was more and more getting a bad feeling about all this.

Ultra Magnus was nowhere to see.

But Rodimus was sure he had been drawn into the sphere as well. Where ever he was, it seemed he had not landed at the same place.

The one good thing about this entire situation was, while Primus may have permanently transformed him into Rodimus Prime, it was as the senior Prime still Optimus who carried the Matrix for the most time.

So at least it had not been lost **with** him. Even if he didn´t manage to return, the Matrix would still be with the Autobots.

But that didn´t change his own situation. He had no idea where and when he was.

Magnus was not here. But Rodimus saw something else. Something he already wished he had never seen- The small pyramid shaped device was lying a few hundred meters from him.

He walked over and picked it up. If this thing was part of the machine that brought him here - where ever **here** was - maybe it could help him.

Rodimus walked another short distance to the road he had seen. Then he transformed and drove off. He decided the best course of action for now would be to look around until he found some signs of civilization - either human or cybertronian.

xxxxxxx

_Earth - the year 1986_

The new arrival however, had not gone completely unnoticed.

Inside the Ark - the crashed Autobots ship that served as their main base in this time - the main computer Teletran One had detected the strange energy reaings, that had been caused by the intrusion into their space and time.

xxxxxxx

But they were not the only ones.

In the sky over one of the states of the East Coast of the USA, a familiar silvery colored jet was flying in the same direction Rodimus was heading.

"Interesting," Starscream thought loudly to himself, "very interesting."


End file.
